Connection
by pannech
Summary: Actor Eric Northman is living the good life but is lonely in the inside. Will Pam's new hobby lead him to his love?


This story is unbeta'd. So any mistakes (I'm pretty sure there will be lots of them) are my fault. Bear in mind that English is not my first language. Actually, if there is anyone other there who is willing to help me please do.

UPDATE! I just realized that the summary is really awful. Haha. I edited this chapter. Boy, did I do many mistakes.

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Hi! I'm Eric Northman. 34 years old. Profession, I'm an actor.

Acting wasn't really what I wanted to do when I was a kid. I wanted to be a teacher. But somehow I find myself acting time and time again. I was a baby model. My mom had a friend who knew a casting director in commercials and one of them happened to be a baby commercial. When she saw me, she told my mom to have me "audition" for one, which she did. I did one of those baby diaper commercial. I remember the day my mom showed that video to my friends... that was embarrassing. I had no teeth... and I was bald but what hit the nail in the head is that constant "I-just-pooped" face I had the entire commercial.

I joined theater when I was 6 until I was 11. Many ask me if my parents were pushing me into doing it. Well. No. To me at that age it was my vacation camp. I'm the oldest of 4 and after mom left when I was 5, dad had a hard time taking care of 4 of us. The idea of theater came from my preschool teacher. A close friend of hers was a casting director and every once a week she would make us small plays were we would act them out. I remember her telling my dad one day when he picked me up that she thought I had potential to be a young actor in theater. Curiosity ate the cat or the mouse or whatever. All three of us went to a theater in Sweden where I auditioned for this small part. An hour later, I got it. If I look back at it now the only thing I had to do in the entire play was to show up on stage when my "stage mom" would yell out, "Nicholas! Breakfast!" and after sitting down in the table I would say a dialogue or two. I did that play for a couple of weeks after school ended. Since my dad couldn't bring and pick me up from the theater my Aunt Isabel was the one to do it.

So, it worked for my Dad. For a couple of hours a week, I would be gone from home being picked up and brought back by my aunt. Eating in the theater 2 or 3 times and doing what I considered I loved back then. That gave my dad a minus one child to take care of. After the play I did when I was 11 which was a lead role I told my dad that "It wasn't fun anymore." so I quit. My dad was happy to comply. I think deep down he wanted me to be home a lot more than I did when I was still in theater.

For the next 2 years I had the life of a child going into a teen. They were certainly hard times. My dad was an accountant who was doing pretty well. We didn't have a lot, but we had enough. I gave most of the money that I earned from doing theater to my dad. I gave my aunt presents whenever I get my "salary" to thank her for accompanying me. That money that I gave my dad was kept for us. My father is probably the most non-materialistic person you will ever meet. He would buy molding fruit from the market and eat it all. Plus the apple cores. Waste not want not, was my father's motto.

Anyway, I was helping my aunt one day on her shop when my preschool teacher showed up and saw me. A 13 year old. She was still teaching and was still close to her friend who about a year ago moved to L.A. for a bigger career. At that time, her friend was working on something that she knew I was going to be perfect for. My first film. It was exciting for me. To be honest, it wasn't even for the film why I wanted to do it. It was for the experience. It took a bit of convincing on my dad part since he didn't want me going somewhere far away and I think he already predicted that if I go, I probably wouldn't choose to do anything else. Plus when my dad found out what kind of film I was going to audition for his eyes got so big and he didn't say anything for five minutes. To make the long story short, after a month of convincing between my teacher and my dad, he eventually let me audition for the part. My aunt and I flew all the way to L.A. to audition for a film called "Speak". Something about the way I auditioned made them choose me as the lead for the film. I was an awkward kid at 13. That was probably the reason.

"Speak" is a heavy drama movie about an awkward and silent 13 year old boy who was gang raped by teenager boys in a house party. The entire film was about my character dealing with it. His best friend didn't believe him; he was bullied because he called the police, gaining the courage to tell his parents and finding himself. I did my research about the subject by visiting shelters in Ohio, where we shoot the film, who housed rape victims who are either abandoned by their family or needed help to recover from it. That film made me a star. After it was released, magazines, interviews, radio stations and photographers started popping out of nowhere. What made it even worst was when I won the Oscar for best actor. It was surreal. Like I said I was awkward. It made me feel even more awkward to be a 13 year old and all of those interviewers asking me every question they could think of. From who was my celebrity crush down to what shampoo I use.

After the hype of my first film; me and my aunt, bless her, left America for Sweden. My dad, who was freaking out the entire time, was relieved to see me back again. I didn't do any projects for the next 5 years. The experience I had in America was so surreal that I didn't want to remind myself of what has happened. Some wacko producer, writer or director would call us or show up in our door (I don't know how they got our number and address) and start pitching ideas for films and shows. I didn't acknowledge any of them.

The money I accumulated from my "adventure" in America I gave it to my dad. He didn't want to tell me, but I knew that life when I was gone was difficult. Usually I would take care of my siblings while dad was working and while aunt was busy in her shop. The moment aunt and I were gone dad had a rough time trying to balance taking care of my siblings who were still young and trying to work. Hiring a baby sitter wasn't going to work for him since dad developed "trust issues" when our mom left.

I was a teenager when I made the decision that I wanted to be a teacher. After I graduated when I was 19 I went to S.U. that's where I meet Tray and Leif. Both of them are in the performance studies department. I meet them in the freshmen orientation. We became friends straight after the orientation. Probably because we didn't know anyone else, as well as the three of us sat side by side, with me in the middle. Tray is the guff of the group. He's the one who gets the most laughs out of everyone. He says these outrageous jokes that have you disgusted, but makes you laugh as well. For as long as I knew him I thought that he would make a better stand up comedian than an actor. Leif is the serious one. Like serious, serious. Part of the reason why we got each other so well is probably because he is just like my brother Stan. It was pure comical when they first met, it was like Comic Con all over again. Complete with Star Trek hand signs.

I spent an entire year with them as an education major while the two of them are in the performing department. During that course of the year that's when I had my revelation. I love the course I choose but seeing what Tray and Leif were doing made me realized that I love acting more. I was so nervous that day when I was about to tell my dad that I wanted to became an actor. But somehow he knew that it was only a matter of time before I realized it. Seriously he is like Buddha. Telling Tray and Leif about it was a different story. I remember entering the apartment the three of us shared and sitting them down in the living room telling them about my decision. They were okay with it, but as soon as I told them about the film I did in America their reaction changed. Leif eyes got so big and Tray whistled and whispered, "Men... I see you different now."

It was probably because I looked so different back then than I did at the time. I had shoulder length blond hair and I wore glasses. As well as I was a lot more taller, filled out since Trey works out a lot and he had both Leif and I to go with him talking about, "join the pack" every now and then. I changed my course after about a year and about two months into it, Leif's mom, who lives in L.A., visited him.

The moment she show me she started gushing, "Oh. my. God". Apparently, Leif's mom was a film producer and scrip writer. What is it with me? I'm always surrounded by people who are in the movie industry. Leif's mom was writing for a T.V. show that was still in the process. She explained her reaction to me later by saying that the character that she had in mind for the T.V. show looks exactly like me. An awkward blonde. Months later, Leif's mom called him and when he passed me the phone she said that she was interested in having me audition for the part in her behalf. Which I did. I felt a little bad for both Trey and Leif. I didn't want them to think something bad about me.

But I so desperately wanted to do it that I decided to fly to L.A. and auditioned for the part and got it right afterward. With only theater and a film under my belt, plus a baby diaper commercial, I was surprised that they let me have the part. Nevertheless to say it was an experience. It was fun. Totally different from Speak. I played an awkward funny guy who was leaving a comfortable life with his father who was a lawyer turned judge, a mom and 3 siblings. The show centers around my "T.V. cousin" who was kick out of his mother's house about 3 states away and had no choice but to live with us. His mother was my "T.V. moms" sister. We did 5 seasons. Five years of laughter and cries. I was a teenager when I started and left the show as a man. A young man. After the show ended I decided to go back to Sweden so I could spend time with my family and friends. I didn't exactly have the length of a time that I wanted to spend with my family when I was doing that show.

Dad was still dad. I had a talk with him weeks after I came back. I thought about helping him settle down. My dad was 48 at that time but he lived a very difficult life and with two of my siblings done in college I thought he could already retire. Or he could lift a few workloads off his shoulder. Stan's college needs wouldn't be that hard to pay off with all the money that I had saved. Dad was having none of it basically. He loved what he does, but underneath it all he couldn't deny that he was already starting to feel tired. Aunt Isabel wasn't there all the time for us since she is also busy with her business. So for Dad supporting 4 kids, working and playing mom and dad was hard. We did strike a deal though. He was going to have his fill of work for at least 5 years before he decides whether or not he wants to retire or not. I agreed, but I told him that he should use the money he earns for himself starting from the day we talked. He agreed. But being a non-materialistic guy he was, he didn't spend the money on himself. He decided to have our old home renovated which collected a couple of pairs of eyerolls from all of us. No new clothes, no change in diet (burgers and what not), no new car, but a new renovated house.

For the next few years I did projects around Sweden, worked with some amazing directors, actors (including Trey and Leif), scriptwriters and crews and directed a few movies myself. It wasn't all that easy. Movies in Sweden are not the same as the movies in America. I had a few flaps, criticisms and just plain disappointments. But I loved everyone of them. Through the years, I collected a team around me that were just amazing people. My aunt who became my assistant. She decided to give her fashion shop to my sister Pam who became a fashion designer. Nan, my publicist, who is a bit difficult to get along with but does her job perfectly. My manager Sophie-Ann whom I met when I did "Life as we know it" in America. Now that was a funny story.

Sophie-Ann is about 5 years older than me. She is beautiful. Red hair, green eyes and a beautiful body. In my hormonal teenager mind I thought we would make a beautiful couple. That was until she told me that she wasn't interested in men. Hmm... that was she thought. A year later, my sister Pam decided to stay for a couple of weeks to look around, meet people and pick up a few things in America particularly in L.A. fashion wise. Neither less to say she and Sophie-Ann became a couple. That was awkward. But after a few months of being hot and heavy things started cooling between them and that relationship came to an end when my brother Andre visited me for a couple of days.

Andre... well, he's the black sheep in the family. Girls, parties and sex were his life. Drugs were included in it too, but Dad being who he was changed Andre's mind a few seconds after he got into it. Dad might be quiet and a Buddha but he is the law even if we don't live in his house no more. With Andre having a muscular tall frame, blue eyes and blonde hair he put his good looks to use. He became a supermodel. He used to tell me that there is no woman in the world who would say no to him. I guess he was right.

Sophie-Ann fell head over heels for him despite of what he does. I use to ask her how that happened. She said it was just that... no place, no time, it wouldn't even care what you are doing. You might be pissing in the side of the road when love hits you. If it hits, it hits you hard. Andre... now that was comical he went from confident runway model to a shy teenager with one look from Sophie. It was hilarious.

Pam who had a brief relationship with her accepted that they weren't really for each other. A couple of days visit from Andre turned into a month. It started from stealing glances, small talks, dates, then the big it, and then months later we found out that they are in a full committed relationship. They had their bad days. Very bad days. Their fights are like all out wars. It was hard for both of them considering that Sophie was 7 years older than him. But Andre wasn't going to let Sophie walk out of his life so he did everything he could to become the best for her. And he did. He was 21 when he came up to me one night to talk about marriage. I was surprised. I knew that the two of them were serious but at 21, marriage is a serious subject. I told him to think really hard about it. Money wise he didn't have to worry about a thing. The only thinking that he had to do is if he is ready. All of him. He did think about it for 2 years. When he told me that he was ready I was more than happy to let him.

It wasn't like I became the head of the family. Dad was still the head of it. But we all knew that Dad was a bit harder to convince. So if they could convince me first, then it wouldn't take that much to convince Dad. 2 months later Andre and Sophie-Ann got married in a beautiful meadow wedding. To be honest, I couldn't believe how lucky I am. The timing for that wedding was so right. A week before they got married was the time when "Life as we know it" ended. Since Andre was a well-known model and Sophie-Ann was my manager we knew that a wedding between the two of them would garner attention. Us leaving for Sweden and them having the wedding there helped tranquilize the attention. Things got difficult for them after that.

Sophie was 30 and Andre was 23. Sophie wanted a family. Andre was more than happy to give it to her, but it was difficult considering that he moves around so much. Paris, New York, Japan you name it he's been there. For all the sacrifices and compromises that both of them did, I didn't want them to have problems just for a baby. I told Sophie to give Andre at least 2 more years to figure out what he wanted to do. She was okay with it, but we could clearly see that the two of them weren't as coupley as they were. It's funny how a couple would be angry at each other when they are together and the moment they are apart they are miserable without each other. 2 years later, Andre saved enough money and with my help he opened up a model agency in L.A., which then grew to have another one in Sweden. The three of us moved back to L.A. after that, and a month later we weren't surprised when they announced that they were having a baby. A year later they had Hadley. A baby girl with strawberry-blonde hair, big blue green eyes and the chubbiest face you have ever seen.

Being in L.A. gave me the opportunity to audition for films and shows. But even with the additional work I did in Sweden producers and directors tend to look at the 2 projects that I did in America. It didn't get me that far. From the time we moved in L.A. up to the 6 month of me being there I only did one film which was... pretty bad. I felt like I was living Andre's life in a twisted alternative world in that film. I guess I did it for the hilarity. It wasn't all that bad because a month later two opportunities came up that I thought was just wonderful.

First, I got a part in a T.V. show. After months of no work I was itching to doing something. I spent almost 6 months in Africa shooting a series called Generation Kill. It was fun. I got to do something that was completely out of Carl from the show I did back then. Second, I had a conversation with Bruce about a project he was think about. With the vampire films and shows popping out he wanted to do one like it. The concept he had for it was amazing. But without a pilot to go with it, I didn't know what I was getting myself into so I held back but I had hoped that if it turned out to be one awesome project I was going to be the first one on the line auditioning.

About 4 months into the shoot Bruce called my manager to ask if I was available, unfortunately I was still in Africa so I had the let the project go. Luckily, the writer strike happened in L.A. and all projects in post-production were held including, Dark Shadows. So when I went back to L.A. after shooting the TV show Generation Kill, Dark Shadows was still in post-production. I contacted Bruce and asked him if I was still okay to audition. Luckily enough he said yes. After a couple of auditions I got the part.

I started off doing baby diaper commercials, a raped 13 year old boy, an awkward funny teenager, couple of young men movie role usually from heartbreaker to a playboy, an overly confident model, and an American soldier in Iraq to a 1,000 Bad ass Viking Vampire. Yup. Things were good.

Now... Season 5 of New Blood just aired a couple of weeks ago and life couldn't be better. Dad has finally retired and is living the life in Sweden. He's now doing things to accumulate his time, like I don't know, set me up on dates or call me up everytime to ask me if I have a girlfriend. Aunt Isabel is happy as a clam being my assistant and meeting famous celebrities especially Robert Downey Jr. and George Clooney. Pam as always was still single with a few women in the side while she goes back and forth from Sweden to L.A.. Stan... well his Stan. He's working his way into becoming a doctor. With that, women tend to run for the hills especially when they see his big comic book collection underneath his thick medicine book.

Me. Well... I'm still me.

I've been in 3 relationships in the last 34 years. Aude, Arlene and Marnie. Aude was my first in every way, but that was it. We weren't serious about each other and we knew it. Though her being the first girl in my life is something I consider an inclusion on my list.

Arlene... well... now I didn't know what the hell I was thinking. Maybe I got hung up with the fact that Sophie didn't like men so I ended up getting a copy. A horrible copy. With fake red hair and just... I don't know what I was ingesting.

Marnie... looking back at it now... I'm starting to feel sorry for myself. Marnie was a costar of mine in a film that I was working on about 4 years ago. Everyone that was working on that film are people I didn't know, so I got lonely. Put in the fact that since it was filmed in the coutryside noone I knew wanted to spend sometime with me. We became friends during the duration of filming which led to something else. She was nice to me... in the beginning. Then when the film wrapped and we went back to L.A. she changed. She loves the attention while I hated it. Photographers tend to follow her around for whatever reason. It was damaging our relationship. Our non-existent relationship. Marnie was nice at times, but wanting anyone's attention was her flaw. She became possessive and extremely jealous not only to any woman who would come near me, but to a few of my female co-stars in films and in the show. After about a year and a half I just let it go. We tried fixing it... I tried fixing it, but there was no saving a relationship that's already crumbling. I already knew it was coming to an end. She started showing signs of it. The constant talking and texting in her phone. I wasn't even in the room for most of the time it seems. We don't go out to "lunch dates" anymore. I didn't want to know what was happening because I already knew what it was. I just didn't want to hear it from her so... I bounced.

Couple of days later when the break up was announced she was photographed with a hairy director she was working on a film with about a year before we broke up. I knew it. I didn't say anything. Even if everyone speculated that maybe that was the reason we broke up. The more I thought about it now the more I knew that I really didn't love her.

After the break up I went out of the radar. Being away from Marnie helped. I do get photographed a couple of times, but that's only when I eat out, run errands or be on location for a film. Being single made me open to rumors about dating and I quickly denied every single one of them. I did date once after the break up, but I was so out of it that I knew it was a bad idea to just go back to the dating game. That one disaster date was the last contact I had with women. I hadn't dated anyone and hadn't gotten laid for almost 2 and half years. Lonely life...

I never been the kind of guy to do one-night-stands, casual sex and get into something that I might regret later on. My only uncle died from AIDS. That makes you think about certain things, doesn't it? Thinking about certain things makes me think that I should have listened to the people around me. Pam didn't like Marnie. That intensified when she found out about the hairy director. "That skinny, bony, tight pony-tailed, ungrateful bitch" that's what she said. When Trey found out that I was dating her, he called Pam hours later, "Pam, talk to him. Please. Don't let him date that woman. When he does, he's going to set himself back a thousand years.". My dad called me up the next day, probably after Pam called him, telling me to, "Think about it, son."

Looking back at it now, I was so stupid.

Marnie was old news with my family and friends weeks later. Dad, with nothing to do, always kept on calling me to go out and meet someone "outside of L.A., please" and Pam has been selecting woman from those that had been linked to me after the break up. Like Claudine Crane. When she heard that the two of us where rumored to be dating she told me straight away, "Oooooh. Brother. She's hot. Wait. Didn't she use to smoke weed? Okay. Never mind."

That Pam. Now, she's obsessed about this thing she watches in the internet.

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There's the first chapter. I hope it was alright. This story has been swirling around in my head for days now. A lot of the projects that Eric did were copies from real projects that I love. Yeah. I know. I'm a copycat.

Speak is a film Kristen Stewart did that I loved. I don't own it.

"Life as we know" is "Fresh Prince of Bel-Air" in real life. I don't own it too.

Generation Kill, well... you can't take that show away from True Blood right? I don't own that too.

I changed the name from New Blood to Dark Shadows which is True Blood, I think everyone knows that. That's not mine as well.

The relationships. *snickers* you can guess who they are in real life.

I know I mentioned that Eric has worked with both Trey and Leif in a project in Sweden. I think you know what that project was. I just thought that putting in Zoolander after I noticed that Andre is a model made it funny for me.


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